Nowadays the end of Cold War seems obvious and the thought that the Soviet Union could have persisted bizarre; however in the 1980s this was far from the case. Aside from Tarom the airlines of the Warsaw Pact appeared staunchly pro-Soviet so the pivot to the West by Malev, prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall, was an important harbinger of things to come.

Aeroclassics has firmly supported Mexican collectors in 2017 with a selection of great releases, one of which is an Aeroméxico DC-9-32. Looking into the particular aircraft’s history it is obvious that it was not chosen at random. For although Aeroméxico flew many DC-9s none had the unique back history of XA-JEB.

The Republic of Malta consists of a pair of islands (Malta and Gozo) close to Sicily in the central Mediterranean. Although small they attract large numbers of tourists but air traffic volumes are highly seasonal. To meet that demand the national carrier has long leased extra capacity for summer seasons and one of the more interesting leases was a former and future military 707.

By the late 1950s Northwest had solidified its place as a prime mover across the Pacific Ocean, but the landscape was changing and to keep its place it needed to select equipment to take it out of the piston age and into the jet age. Few were surprised when it looked towards Douglas for its first jets, however they would wear the red tail for less than four years.

Panda Models and Skywings have both grown their brands in 2017 often sharing moulds but also doing their own thing. However the nature of their connection and their connection to other newer names in China is confusing at best. Certainly there are various moulds being shared between brands. Does this matter? I don't know - the models are almost universally excellent and the range has increased to the point that Westerners are beginning to take notice.

JC Wings got something of a whipping in the review last year but how 365 days can change an opinion. In fact they are the only manufacturer that has actually changed much in the past year. They have gone from near last to one of the best makers in 1:400 scale. All credit to them and here are my thoughts about JC Wings releases for 2017.

I have a problem with Aeroclassics! They simply make too many interesting and excellent models. Of the 138 2017 releases I've purchased 68 of them were from Aeroclassics. This year has seen a strong lineup of sought after releases but at the same time little in the way of new ideas and some annoying slip ups. Here's my review of Aeroclassics' 2017.

Onto part 2 of my 2017 manufacturer by manufacturer year in review and it's the turn of the king of the Asian widebody - Phoenix. They continue to produce a large number of monthly releases but also continue to produce as much awful as awesome. Indeed they really show little awareness of the market and increasingly I am losing patience with their approach. So what have they been doing in 2017?

Welcome to my third year of the annual review of manufacturers and their output in 1:400 scale. In this 5 part series we start with Gemini Jets who remain for many the centre of the world in this scale. Not for me however. At the time of writing I have bought 138 new release models in 2017, but only 5 were Gemini Jets. That doesn't necessarily mean GJ produce crap models but sadly all to often that is true. Let's look a little deeper at the good, the bad and the ugly.

Boeing delivered only 55 Stratocruisers, and the civilian programme was always a footnote compared to the almost 900 KC-97 tanker transports, however the mighty Strat was the last word in luxury during the 1950s even if not the last word in economics. Northwest’s Strats were especially unique both in terms of their look and how they were utilised.

The A300 was an excellent product and yet Airbus really struggled to sell the type at first. Eventually it gave them their break however and also made a significant inroad into the Brasilian market, albeit one that was relatively short-lived. It wouldn't be until the 2000s that Airbuses would be seen in large numbers in Brasil and by then the last of the 'Silent Giants' was coming to the end of its service.

As far as I'm aware none of the other US airlines went as far as ONA and Braniff to paint fleet members for the 1976 US Bicentennial celebrations and only three others applied any outward signs of participation at all. Which airlines were these? Interestingly all 3 were southerners including the 2 giants from Atlanta. I assume it was no coincidence that both of them decided to celebrate in style.

1976 marked the 200th anniversary of the US declaration of independence. The new nation wasn't recognised by Britain, and the war wasn't won, until after Yorktown in 1781, but it is the July 4th declaration that has become Independence Day. A wide variety of commercial products would launch tie-ins with the celebrations and what better canvas for a bicentennial image than a commercial airliner.

It is now 3 years since Yesterday's Airlines sprang into existence and I am happy to report that somehow I've been able to keep up with my life responsibilities (you know work and family and stuff) whilst also creating new content for the site at a pace of about 1 new piece every 2 days. I admit it has been a challenge at times but one that I've enjoyed tremendously and one that has been rewarded in a range of ways. So what have I been up to in 2017? Lots and lots!

The 1980s was a time of diverse charter activity in the United Kingdom as various travel companies began to align more closely with their airline service providers and in several instances begin their own carriers. Wales also became involved and in 1983 Red Dragon Travel started its own airline - Airways International Cymru.

Author

I'm Richard Stretton: a fan of classic airliners and airlines who enjoys exploring their history through my collection of die-cast airliners. If you enjoy the site please donate whatever you can to help keep it running: